Manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum



Dec. 5, 1933. c. WEBER MANUFACTURE OF MOLDED INLAID LINOLEUM Filed April 13, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '//l IIII! sllllllllll llll Dec. 5, 1933. c. WEBER MANUFACTURE OF MOLDED INLAID LINOLEUM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 13, 1931 LPatented Dec. 1933 MANUFACTURE OF MOLDED INLAID LINOLEUM Charles Weber, Lancaster, Pa., assignor to Arm-` strong Cork Company, poration of Pennsylvania Lancaster, Pa., a cor- Appiicaeon April 13, 1931. serial No. 529,617

16 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum and is particularly concerned with the production in the general design of special gures, although, if desired, it may be used to forma part of the running design.

There is a demand for molded inlaid linoleum having `incorporated in the design haphazard figures which break the monotony of the general background. For example, in tile patterns it is desirable that there be occasional dropped-in 0 gures, which take the place of one of the unit squares of the tile pattern. l In the manufacture `of molded inlaid linoleum the burlap backing is moved in a step-by-step manner under a series of stencil plates, the granulated linoleum mix being strickled `or brushed through the stencils onto the backing. After `all the color has been thus appliedthe material is consolidated under a press. Obviously there must be a stencil opening corre- `2 sponding to each portion `of the design, and one great difculty which has stood in the Way of Vusing 1a variety of insetgures or a variety of `colors therefor has been that plate space is at a premium, and the number of plates available in the opening and be supported bythe stencil plate. This, howevenis notsuiicient to give the `desired results.v It isessential that the lbottom of the stencil, when in position, be substantially` Hush with the bottom of the stencil plate. It will be understood that during the manufacture ,of thegoods` the stencil plates are raised ,to permit a forward movement of the material and are then lowered to allow of brushing the color through. The color is brushed'through the stencil .and scraped oil to the top level thereof.

If thebottom `of `thestencil plate is not arrangedV as above described, there results `a diiierence in` level of the granular material `as applied to the backing, resulting in the color being improperly `compacted. and leaving av mark on the goods.

I prefer that the opening in the stencil plate `,shall be of a regular geometrical shape, for example, ,a square, and that the stencil correspond thereto. `If this is done the stencil may be placed in the opening in varying orientations, thuslending diversity to thematerial. Furthermore, aseries of stencils `of the same size may be` fexnployed and used in a regular sequence or `hapfor `forming `inset figures has been strictly limtherein and a perforate stencil adapted to lie hazardly, thus causing the dropped-in gures to repeat irregularly or at great intervals.

Where two or more colors are employed in the design of `a dropped-in figure, I preferably employ successive perforate stencil plates `having related openings, whereby a particular portion of the goods lies iirst under one opening and then under the corresponding opening in the other stencil plate. The stencils being tted into these openings are used to form the special figure in the goods. Generally speaking, two perforated stencil plates will be sulicient and a large number of stencils utilized With any desired number of colors may be applied. `With this arrangement only two plates on the machine are 7 required for all of the inset figures, thus releasing otherplates for use in forming the background of the material.

Obviously the various colors of a dropped-in ligure may be applied through a single perforate stencil plate if desired, `thus releasing `all `but a single plate for use in forming `the background. This is particularly desirable where the number of dropped-in gures in the pattern is relatively small. b

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a present preferred embodiment of the invention,

AFigure 1 is a top plan view, largely diagrammatic, illustrating a molded inlaying machine;

Figure 2 is a view of apiece of molded inlaid linoleum made according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a plan View, partly broken away, of a r,stencil whioh is employed;

Figure 4 is a similar View of a corresponding ,stencil for 4filling out the design of a dropped-in 9 fleure;

, Figure 5 is a section taken on the line V-V of Figure 3;

, Figure 6 isa section through a part of the stencil `proper of Figure 3, illustrating the char-A acter of the models employed; and

Figure 7 is a similar section through thestencil of Figure4.

The machine illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a table 2 having pin bands 3 for moving a `piece 100 of burlap backing B along -the table 2 in a stepby-step fashion. A Aseriesof stencil plates 4 is provided for forming thelmain body of the pattern. In Figure l I have illustrated these plates Has conventionally arranged, the dotted lines within the plates indicating an area the full width of the goods and54 inches long, which length is the Astandard repeat length -for molded goods. The dotted areas are spaced 54- inches apart and each movement of the goods is also 54 110 inches. Therefore, a given 54 inch length of the backing will lie under the first of the stencil plates 4 and a certain color of granular linoieum will be fed through the stencil onto the 5 backing. The stencils are then raised and the material is moved forward 54 inches.

The particular length of material under discussion will be idle on this step, but on the succeeding operation it will lie under the second of the stencil plates ready to receive another color. This continues until all of the background has been lled in.

In Figure 2 I have illustrated a linoleum of a conventional tile pattern having dropped-in figures, such as a castle 5, a ship 6 and a shield 7. These dropped-in figures are formed by the stencils of my invention. The stencils 4 which form the background of the pattern are arranged to leave open spaces in the background to receive the dropped-in figures, and I provide stencil plates 8 and 9 having openings 10 therein adapted to lie over and register with the spaces provided in the background for receiving the inset figures. The stencils for forming the shield 7 are illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The stencil of Figure 3 fits into an opening 10 in the stencil plate 8, and forms the general outline of the ligure. The stencil of Figure 4 fits into a corresponding opening of the plate 9 and forms the shield proper. Each stencil is in the form of a square piece of material whose edges are indicated at ll secured to a color box 12. The color box l2 has side walls 13 and a bottom 14 having a square opening therein a little smaller than the stencil proper. The stencil is secured to the bottom of the box as indicated in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Adjacent the opening in the bottom of the color box the bottom plate 14 is rounded off or otherwise relieved, as indicated at l5, so that a workman using a so-called Zinc brush may y easily brush the granular color C contained in the box through the openings of the stencil.

As will be seen from Figure 5 the stencil proper is the same thickness as the stencil plate 8 or 9, and when in position itsV bottom lies flush with the bottom of the stencil plate. In Figure 5 I have indicated the backing B and the granular material which has already been laid thereon to form the main pattern.l The importance of having the bottom plate flush will be appreciated from this View. i

After the stencil of' Figure 3 has been emf ployed to fill in the general pattern of the inset figure, the goods is moved forward, and when the partly formed figure lies under the corresponding opening Aof the stencil plate 9, the stencil of Figure 4 is employed to fill in the shield proper.

If desired, the stencil of Figure 3 may be filled in through the stencil plate 8 and then removed,

permitting the stencil of Figure 4 to be applied .to the same opening of stencil plate 8, thus obviating the use of stencil plate 9..

In the making of the inset figures as in the Ymaking of other portions of the pattern, care must be taken that the brushed in material does not fall over. Models are employed to guide and sustain the color during the brushing or strickling operation. Figure 6 illustrates the depth of the models used on the stencil of Figure 3, and Figure 7 illustrates those employed for the stencil of Figure 4. They are relatively shallow in Figure V4 since it substantially fills out the pattern.

As shown in Figure 1 the stencil plates S and 9 may have a number of corresponding openings 10 therein. This is for the purpose of providing inset figures in different parts of the goods. By reason of the fact that the stencils may be oriented in any one of four directions in the stencil plate openings, the inset figures may be correspondingly oriented as is illustrated in Figure 2, wherein the castle for example, is shown in three different positions. lf desired, stencils effective for forming a figure corresponding to a part of the background may be employed if it is desired. that the inset gures repeat at intervals which are a multiple of the normal 54 inch repeat length. For example, in the row X-X of tile squares in Figure 2, it may be desired to put in a figure every 108 inches instead of every 54 inches as shown, in which case a stencil for forming a figure of the background would be alternated with the special stencil for forming the dropped-in figures.

I have illustrated and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not thus limited but may be otherwise embodied or practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a stencil plate having an opening therein, and a perforate stencil adapted to lie in the opening and be supported by the stencil plate, the bottom of the stencil, when in position, being substantially flush with the bottom of the stencil plate.

2. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linolcum comprising a stencil plate having an opening therein, and a perforate stencil adapted to lie in the opening and be supported by the stencil plate, the bottom of the stencil, when in position, being substantially iiush with the bottom of the stencil plate, and models carried by the stencil.

3. Apparatus 'for making molded inlaid linoleum ,comprising a stencil plate having an opening therein, a color box larger in at least one dimension than the opening and adapted to lie on the stencil plate over the opening, `and a perforate stencil secured to the bottom of the color box and adatped to lie in the opening With its bottom iiush with the bottom of the stencil` plate. Y n

4. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a stencil plate having an opening therein, and a perforate stencil adapted to lie in the opening and be supported by the. stencil plate, the bottom of the stencil, when in position, being substantially flush with the bottom of the stencil plate, the opening being of a regular geometrical shape and the stencil plate being adapted to fit therein in a variety of oriented positions.

5. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a stencil plate having an opening therein, and a perforate stencil adapted to lie in the opening and be supported by the stencil plate, the bottom of the stencil, when in position, being substantially flush with the bottom of the stencil plate, the stencil being adapted to lie in the opening of the stencil plate in any one of a plurality of predetermined orientations;

6. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a stencil plate having an opening therein, and a perforate stencil adapted to lie in the opening and be supported by the stencil plate, the bottom of the stencil, when in position, being substantially flush with the bottom of the stencil plate, the opening in the stencil plate being square and the stencil being shaped to t therein.

7. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a plurality of stencil plates having corresponding openings therein, and stencils for forming component parts of a design element, the stencils being adapted to lie in the openings with their bottoms substantially flush with the bottoms of the stencil plates.

8. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a plurality of stencil plates having corresponding openings therein, stencils for forming component parts of a design element, the stencils being adapted to lie in the openings with their bottoms substantially flush with the bottoms of the-stencil plates, and models on the bottoms of the stencils.

9. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a plurality of stencil plates having corresponding openings therein, stencils for forming component parts of a design element, the stencils being adapted to lie in the openings with their bottoms substantially iiush with the bottoms of the stencil plates, and models on the bottoms of the stencils, the models being of different depth on different stencils.

10. Apparatus for making molded inlaid lino-` leum comprising a stencil plate having an opening therein, a color box adapted to lie on the stencil plate over the opening, the color box having an opening in the bottom thereof, and a perforate stencil secured to the bottom of the color box and adapted to lie in the opening.

11. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a stencil plate having an Vopening therein, a color box adapted to lie on the stencil plate over the opening, the color box having an opening in the bottom thereof, and a perforate stencil secured to the bottom of the color box and adapted to lie in the opening, the bottom. of the color box having its edges 3 relieved so as to permit of ready brushing of color.

12. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a stencil plate having an opening` therein, Va color box adapted to lie on the stencil plate over the opening, the color box having an opening in the bottom thereof, and a perforate stencil secured to the bottom of the color box and adapted to lie in the opening, the bottom of the color box having its edges rounded so as to permit of ready brushing of color.

13. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a table with means for moving a backing therealong, a plurality of stencil plates arranged over the backing, one at least of the plates having an opening therethrough, and a removable stencil adapted to be tted in the opening.

14. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a table with means for moving a backing therealong, a plurality of stencil plates arranged over the backing, one at least of the plates having an opening therethrough, and a removable stencil adapted to be tted in the opening, the stencil having models thereon placeable and removable with the stencil.

15. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a table With means for moving a backing therealong, a plurality of stencil plates arranged over the backing, one at least of the plates having a plurality of openings therethrough and a removable stencil adapted to be fitted in any of such openings.

16. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a table with means for moving a backing therealong, a plurality of stencil plates arranged over the backing, one at least of the plates having an opening therethrough, and a plurality of removable stencils adapted to be interchangeably tted in the opening, the said stencils being adapted to form diierent pattern designs.

CHARLES WEBER. 

